Governor Sule Urges APC Aspirants to Close Ranks Ahead of Nasarawa Primaries

By Kure Tashilane

... "I am not a hypocrite who will tell you one thing here and tell you something else there. The only thing you don't understand now is who I want as a person. I have the right to say I have somebody; there is nothing wrong with that..." Sule to gubernatorial aspirants.

Nasarawa State Governor, His Excellency Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule, has called on All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirants in the state to close ranks and form a united front. He stated that this unity is essential to withstand both internal and external challenges during the upcoming party primaries.

The Governor made the charge in Abuja at the Asokoro Governor's Lodge during a meeting convened to address all APC gubernatorial aspirants on what is expedient as the primary elections draw nearer.

"The whole idea is to move forward together with the capacity of all of you who are seated here. Nasarawa State has no reason not to win all her 24 House of Assembly seats, five House of Representatives seats, three Senatorial seats, the Governorship, and the Presidency," Sule said.

He added: "If we are sincere with ourselves that we are going to work together as a team; if we are sincere that there will be only one governor, three senators, five members of the House of Representatives, one president, and 24 members of the House of Assembly out of the millions of people in Nasarawa State."

The Governor stressed that, so far, he is not doing anything different from what he inherited.

"I know when Abdullahi Adamu said, 'This is the one I will support.' I know how close it was from the primaries because I was there. When His Excellency Umaru Tanko Al-Makura said it was me he preferred, he did it close to the primaries just to keep the party together.

"If you just come out and say, 'This is the person I want to support,' because you are in a position of leadership, you will not find it easy. I want you to see the sincerity in me. I have zero hatred for any aspirant for any of these positions. I have said it before, and I am saying it again. I mean it," he urged them.

The Governor also impressed upon the aspirants to eschew politics of bitterness as they inch closer to the party primaries. He noted that whoever emerges would require the support of those who lost in order to succeed in the general elections.

Engr. Sule stressed that if they allow politics of bitterness and anger to get the better of them, Nasarawa State would be the biggest loser not him, A.A. Sule as political offices will come and go. He expressed determination that with the caliber of people he sees before him, the state cannot afford to lose on all fronts.

He further disclosed that at the appropriate time, he will reveal which zone and which aspirant will have his full support, along with the reasons for his preference.

The Governor noted that after the primaries are over, all of them should come together and support the winner so that the party can face the general elections with the required strength and vigor.

The meeting later progressed to an executive session, which was held behind closed doors.